While the Flute Plays
by Passing Fancies
Summary: What the heart hides and what the heart reveals…it all comes down to the music. Eisen x Akane


**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** One-shot, a brief moment set somewhere in the series before the final battle, whenever that will take place considering the manga is still running. This is another pairing I like but can never seem to see it as anything other than slightly bittersweet. Thus, the tone of the story is set. I hope you enjoy this, especially since I've never seen an Eisen-focused fic out there yet so this is probably the first one available in English. But if I'm wrong – someone please point me to a link so I can go and ogle!

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Pleasant strains of the flute filled the air, winding through the blades of grass, the leaves of the trees, the petals of flowers that bobbed and swayed gently in the breeze as if a part of the rhythm set by the music. And the maker of the music swayed gently with closed eyes as well, as if he too were part of the landscaped garden and the melody that he created with puffs of life's breath and the sliding of smooth fingers over the dips and grooves of his cherished instrument. So he played, blending into the music and his surroundings until the song came to its inevitable end the last remaining notes slowly faded away.

"Eisen-san!"

Turning, flute lowered and he smiled. "Miko. What are you doing here?"

"Just visiting. We stopped by Takamichi-san's to see if he's learned anything new in his research and since your place was nearby, I thought we'd see how you were doing."

"We?"

"Tenma-kun and Yorihisa-san are with me too."

"I see."

He was still uneasy around Tenma and did his best to hide his discomfort from Akane. It was probably best that he had this bit of forewarning to prepare himself before facing Tenma during this surprise visit. Even being alone with the Ryuujin no Miko, the reason for the tension between himself and Tenma in the first place, made him uneasy too but…

Uncomfortable feelings aside, he treasured the few stolen moments he had with her.

"They're around somewhere," Akane gestured vaguely. "But they were arguing again about something and when I heard the music, I thought it would be you so I followed my ears and here I am!" A little anxiously, she looked at him. "I hope I'm not intruding."

"Not at all."

"Are you sure? Because if I am, I can leave-"

"No," Eisen interrupted quickly. "I mean, yes, I'm sure you're not intruding."

"Great!" Hands clapped together happily. "I didn't want to be rude by barging in on a private moment. But I love hearing you play. The music you make is beautiful, Eisen-san."

His cheeks warmed. "Thank you. I'm glad you enjoy it, miko."

"Of course I do. You put your heart in whatever you play." She smiled. "Your heart is beautiful and the music you make reflects just that."

The words should have been silly. Coming from anyone else, he would have thought that it an attempt to step into his good graces and, through him, his highly influential brother. But Akane wasn't like that. She meant what she said, sincerity shone from honestly earnest green eyes and Eisen couldn't help but be flattered. He shyly ducked his head, sending long purple locks of hair cascading forward and hopefully hiding pale cheeks darkening even more in a pleased blush as his grip unconsciously tightened on his flute. And he thought he must have been successful in his endeavor to show that nothing was amiss.

Akane didn't seem to notice.

"You're very talented," she was saying conversationally. "I wish I could play _any_ kind of musical instrument even half as well as you do."

"I'm sure you could if you tried."

"Oh, no. Required classes back home in school have shown me…well, let's just say that music isn't my forte."

"Ah." Though he wasn't wholly sure of what she meant, he nodded as if he did. "If you like, I can try to teach you."

He gestured with the hand holding his flute, emphasizing his offer. Flustered, for he'd never taught anyone in that particular area before and wasn't quite sure what to do if she were to actually agree to taking flute playing lessons from him, he was only marginally relieved when she politely declined. Mostly, he was felt surprising disappointment.

But he covered it well.

"I couldn't accept." Akane shook her head. "I couldn't subject you to my poor musical skills."

"Surely, they aren't as bad as you think."

"You're right, Eisen-san."

He blinked at the easy capitulation.

"They're probably _much_ worse than I think," was the sober pronouncement.

Eisen was hard-pressed not to smile.

"I'm convinced all my previous music instructors ended up hating me," Akane continued. "I'd hate to put you through their trials."

"I wouldn't mind."

"No, no. It's sweet of you to offer and I really appreciate it but just the mere idea of torturing anyone with my terrible musical skills gives me an endless case of guilt."

"Ah." He wasn't sure what to say to that.

"Besides," Akane said winsomely, "I'd much rather hear you play instead."

There was that blush again.

"Actually, if you don't mind," it was Akane's turn to pinken, "could you play me another song?"

The last words were said in an embarrassed rush and continued in much the same vein. Eisen thought it was rather charming.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, and I know it might be a bit of an imposition when I sort of just barged in on you anyway and then I just go and-"

"Miko."

Her rushing words ground to a halt as she stared back at him wide-eyed.

Eisen's lips curled gently as he said, "I'd be honored to play a song for you."

Her luminous smile was his reward.

He knew he shouldn't be doing this, keeping her here with him when Tenma and Yorihisa had by now discovered she had disappeared from their sides and were no doubt searching frantically for her. But they were with her all the time and, while he usually overly generous heart did feel troubled over Tenma and Yorihisa's inevitable worry concerning the Ryuujin no Miko's current location, that small selfish part of him that rarely had this chance alone with her decided to prolong her stay in his company with the simple lift of flute to his lips.

Strains of music danced in the air and his lashes lowered as he watched as covertly as possible while Akane settled herself comfortably upon a nearby bolder. Chin cupped in feminine hand propped up upon a crossed knee, her head tilted as she listened to the music that he played.

Her eyes slipped closed and Eisen observed more openly the soft smile that tipped her lips as her mind was taken with the soothing flow of notes that conveyed his feelings for her in a way he doubted he could ever successfully form with his stumbling shyness. With a touch of sadness, he knew she probably didn't realize what was at the heart of the song he played – his very own feelings bared for her ears to hear. No, she didn't know and he knew no other way he could bring himself to tell her, express the emotions that he held.

So he continued to play.

He prolonged the song of his flute, his heart, as long as he could while knowing that it would eventually have to end. In a moment, the world would intrude again – the other Hachiyou would resume their positions as her guards, the war with the Oni would continue, the search for a way to save Kyo would intervene, and he would be cast back in the long shadows of everyone and everything else.

Soon his selfish moment would come to a halt and he would have to return her back into the world beyond the threads of the musical web he wove, where a part of him wished he could keep her forever. He would return to dreaming his dreams of _maybe_ and _could be_ as he relinquished her to the others that sought her out in an endless dance of Oni and Hachiyou sooner than he wanted, perhaps, but it was duty and he wasn't quite selfish enough to stop the destiny that was unfolding before their eyes. Soon, he would let her go back where she belonged, back to the realities of what must be done and whom they must be done with.

Soon…

But for now, while the flute played, she was his.


End file.
